Bust reducer and supporter.



PATBNTBD Nov. 5, 1907.

o. D. CORNELL. BUST'RBDUGBR AND SUPPORTBR.

APPLIOATIOH FILED I'BBJ'B.. 1907.

w/rwfssss :um ron iveD. Cornell. @KQ/Q29?? nro/mers OLIVE D. CORNELL, OF NEW YORK, N.

BUST REDUCER AND SUFPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.

Application filed February 16, 1907. Serial No. 357,692.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l', OLIVE D. CORNELL, a citizen of the United States, and residing at New York, in the county of New York and State ol New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bust Reducers and Supporters, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertaius to make and use the same.

This invention relates to means [or reducing and supporting the female bust, and the object thereof is to provide an improved device orgarment of this class particularly designed for use by stout women, and also particularly designed to be worn over a corset but which may, i1' desired, be worn by more slender women and also under the corset.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which,-

Figure l, is a front perspective view of the body portion ot a Woman and showing the method of wearing my improved bust reducer and supporter; Fig. 2 a side view; and, Fig. 3 a plan View of the bust reducer and supporter detached.

My improved bust reducer and supporter is shown at i a in Fig. 3 and comprises an oblong strip of any suitable iabricor flexible material, the top edge a2 of which is straight, the ends a3 parallel, and the bottom edge a4 curved as shown in the drawing, and the top edge a2 is provided with stiaps d which are passed over the shoulders and which help to support the garment or bust reducer and supporter in proper position.

In practice, the ends a3 are provided with fastening devices which may be ordinary hooks and eyes as shown at b and c, or may consist of buttons and buttonholes or any other suitable fastening devices, and when Y the bust reducer and supporter is applied to the body as shown in Figs. l and 2 the ends thereof 'are secured centrally and vertically ol the breast as shown in Fig. l.

The dimensions of my improved bust reducer and supper ter are determined as follows. A measuring tape is passed around the body directly under the arms so as to determine the bust measurement along the top edge line a2 of the garment as shown in Figs. l and 2. The vertical width oi' the garment at the back, as indicated by the line a5 in Fig. 3, is determined by measuring from the line ixed as above downwardly to within about two inches of the waist line, and' the vertical width of the cud portions a3 is determined by measuring from the first mentioned bust measurement centrally of the breast downwardly to a point about two inches above the waist line. This measurement will, as a general rule, make the opposite end portions of the garment about twice as wide as the central back portion thereof, and the curve oi' the bottom line or edge a4 of the garment will depend on the dimensions or size of the breast or bust below the lille a2, and where the breasts or bust below said line are of unusual size the curve ol the bottom line a4 adjacent to the ends o may be enlarged as indicated by the dotted lines all.

The bottom edge of the garment is also provided with an ordinary draw cord or shirring tape c, and the longitudinal dimensions of the top edge al' ol the garment should be such that when the ends a3 are fastened over the breasts or bust as shown in Fig. 1, the said top edge will tightly fit around the body and draw the breasts togethenand after the ends a3 have been connected. the draw cord or shining tape e is' drawn tightly around the body beneath the bust and securely tied as indicated at f in Fig. l, and in this opera-tion the bottom edge portions of the garment adjacent to the ends thereof are shirred or gathered together as shown at g so that the bottom edge of the garment will ft snugly and evenly at the sides and back.

My improved bust reducer and supporter is particularly designed for use in connection with the low cut corsets now in use, and as hereinbefore stated the said device is also particularly designed for use by Women of robust form and large body and bust development, and when properly fitted and applied in the manner described the breasts or separate side portions ol the bust will be drawn together from the opposite sides and will also be supported from beneath, and the swelling or protruding of the bust and the fleshy parts of the body under the arms and at the back over the top edge of the corset Will be prevented, and the entire body above the corset and particularly the bust will'be securely and compactly held and any lateral or vertical movement of the breast occasioned by walking or any other kind of exercise will be avoided together with the disagreeable effects thereof.

In determining the length measurement el my improved bust reducer and supporter care should be taken to determine the exact measurement around the body beneath the arm-pits and the said top measurement of the garment should be such that when the end portions thereof are connected centrally of the bust as shown in Fig. 1, the breasts or separate side portions ol the bust will be tightly drawn together from the side and iirmly supported around the mid-line of the end portions ol' the garment so that when the ends ol the cord or shirring tape c are drawn tightly together and tied as shown in Fig` l, the entire garment will fit snugly and tight at all points, and in placing the garment on the body as hereinbefore described the top edge portion thereol at the iront should be drawn up in the direction of the neck, as indicated both in Fig. l and Fig. 2, in order that the desired effects hereinbel'ore set outI may be fully accomplished.

With my improved garment or bust reducer and supporter the fleshy parts of the body at the iront sides and back are securely contined and compressed above the corset and any lateral or vertical movement thereof in walking7 riding or taking any other form of physical exercise is largely and, in fact, almost totally avoided, and although my improvement is particularly designed for use in connection with low cut corsets the same may be worn in connection with any kind or class of corset and may also be worn wit-hout a. corset, if desired.

1n the accompanying drawing, 1 have indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, a low cut corset the bottom line of which is shown at h, and the top edge portion of which is indicated by the dotted line 11%. and when worn with a corset of this class the top edge of the bust reducer and supporter is from two to l hree inches above the top edge of the corset at the back and sides ol' the body and the central front portion of the top edge of the corset is only about from two to three inches above the corresponding bottom edge of the bust reducer and supporter, the greatest portion of the bust being contained in and directly supported by my improved bust reducer and supporter as clearly indicated in Fig. 1.

My invention is not limited to any particular means for forming the garment which constitutes the subject thereof or for taking the dimensions thereof, and the' method herein given for taking the dimensions of said garment or any other suitable method may be followed, but in all cases the end portions a3 ot' the garment should be at least approximately about twice the width of the central back portion thereof and the curve of the bottom edge at4 of the garment as a generalqSO proposition should be that shown' in full lines in Fig. 3, but in cases of extra or unusual development of the breast the Width of the garment adjacent to the ends thereof should be increased as indicated by the dotted lines a,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. A garment ot the class described adapted to be worn around the upper portion of the chest or body above the waist line` said garment consisting of an oblong tlexible strip havinga substantially straight top edge and parallel ends provided with fastening devices, .the width of the ends being greater than the width of the central back portion. and the bottom edge being curved downwardly and outwardly from the central back portion to the ends and being provided with a draw cord.

" A garment of the class described adapted to be worn around the upper portion of the chest or body above the waist line, said garment consisting of an oblong flexible strip having a substantially straight top edge and parallel ends provided with fastening devices, the width of the ends being greater' than the width of the central back port'ionY and the bottom edge being curved downwardly and outwardly from the central back portion to the ends and being provided with a draw cord, said garment being also provided at the top with shoulder straps.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of the subscribing wit-- nesses this 14th day of February 1907.

OLIVE D. CORNELL.

Witnesses z C. E. Murau-1am', A. WORDEN Gmns. 

